BCCI's notice to Kumble was unwarranted

The notice to Anil Kumble from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary, Mr. Niranjan Shah, was poorly timed.

What was the merit of embarrassing your captain for making a public expression of his feelings on some issue involving selection of the team for Sri Lanka? If the authorities did not want Kumble to go public, what was the compelling reason for Mr. Shah to do the same.

What did the BCCI gain by embarrassing someone like Kumble? Does Mr. Shah realize the contribution of Kumble to carry Indian cricket to such great heights. He is an international icon, who symbolizes dignity and discipline on the field. Does anyone need to teach Kumble how to deal with the media? Does the BCCI remember how superbly he handled the media on India's last tour to Australia? Kumble did Indian cricket proud with his conduct on and off the field

What did Kumble say to invite such ignominy? If I know Kumble, he may have said something off-the-record and there is nothing wrong in it. After all, you do discuss so many things with people you trust. If that trust finds its way to the media then my sympathy lies with Kumble. I will not slap him with a notice and then see to it that the notice finds its way to the media.

Kumble has been a shining example of exemplary behaviour. He has been a role model and as a senior statesman of world cricket he certainly did not deserve this notice. I fail to understand why the BCCI rushes to the media with such notices. What prevented the administrator to talk to Kumble privately and convey the message and the reservations of the selectors.

The BCCI is very fond of issuing notices. Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Dilip Vengsarkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag…The list of cricketers who were given notices is long. I know the need for discipline but then there can be a better method than embarrassing your players in public.

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